


I Know What a King and a Lover Ought to be

by Sachiela



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Background relationship Hunk/Romelle/Allura, Bottom Keith, Friends to Friends With Benefits to Lovers, King Lance - Freeform, M/M, Oral Sex, Royal Guard Keith, Slow Burn, Top Lance, Trans Keith (Voltron), Trans Male Character, broganes, hints of Adashi, mentions of Hunk/Lance friends with benefits, pining boys, so much pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-11
Updated: 2020-09-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:21:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26400307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sachiela/pseuds/Sachiela
Summary: “Koli--” the king starts, looking up, but freezing when he sees Keith instead of whomever he was expecting. He moves to grab something from his nightstand and Keith pulls the fabric down from his face and holds up his hands to hopefully show he means no harm.“Your majesty, my apologies, but I just want a moment of your time to make a request.”The king pauses once more, raising a delicate eyebrow. “And this request wouldn’t be for my life or my throne, would it?”Keith shakes his head, keeping his hands up. He takes a deep breath. “Actually, the opposite. I’m here to request to join your...your harem.”
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Comments: 19
Kudos: 235
Collections: The Klance Pinefest Fics





	I Know What a King and a Lover Ought to be

**Author's Note:**

> This is my piece for the Klance Pinefest Big Bang. 
> 
> It's been a bit of a rollercoaster with the state of the world to get this out, and I'm really excited to share this with everyone. I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Artwork in this piece was created by [sugarsaurus](https://sugarsaurus.tumblr.com/). 
> 
> Thank you very much to [have-a-little-laith](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LWritesx/pseuds/have-a-little-laith) and my wife [Anath](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anath_Tsurugi/profile) for Beta'ing this for me.
> 
> \--
> 
> Note - Keith is trans in this. While I am cis, I have had multiple trans friends look this over to make sure I stay respectful. AFAB language is used at times, so please be aware of that if it makes you uncomfortable. 
> 
> \--
> 
> Title is a revised line from the song Two Princes by Spin Doctors (changed from prince to king).

Lance considers the soldier before him, freshly released from the hospital wing, but one arm less than when Lance had last seen him. He knows how much it had meant to the former captain to be able to protect the people of this kingdom and the crown. He knows the conviction of his loyalty and the strength of his heart, which is why Lance formally extended the offer to him. 

“I...beg your pardon, your majesty, but you are inviting me to do what?” Takashi Shirogane asks, blinking a few times in confusion. It is almost adorable.

“You are welcome to refuse if you like, of course,” Lance says, smiling. “But, I’m offering you a chance to join my harem and continue helping this kingdom.”

Shirogane shakes his head, eyes still wide. “I’m...afraid I don’t understand. How do I help the kingdom by being a bed warmer?” 

Lance laughs. He is glad to see that the captain still feels comfortable enough to question him. Good. He’d need that. “I promise you, I don’t take any of my harem to bed unless they are willing, which nearly all of them aren’t. No, they’re more of a…” He waves his hand around for a moment to find the right word. “A group of secret agents, if you will. They listen at events, gather information about threats to the kingdom and the throne, and work with the guards to prevent them as much as they’re able. I’m only asking you to join them.”

While the former soldier looks a bit less concerned, he still carries an air of uncertainty. “I’m not sure if I’m suited for spy work, your majesty.”

“You may surprise yourself. Another former soldier of ours has joined my harem, as I’m sure you’re aware, and he is brilliant at gathering information during court events. You would be surprised what people will speak freely about when they assume only a ‘lowly’ former soldier is listening.” Lance considers for a moment. “Or, if you’d like, I would be happy to have you keep attending our strategy meetings. I have always appreciated your input and your ability to put certain council members in their place.”

At this, Shirogane smiles. He did always seem to enjoy knocking high and mighty nobles down a peg or two. “What are the terms if I accept?”

Lance’s own smile grows. It has been awhile since anyone new had joined his harem and they can use all the help they can get, with new whispers floating around. “Your only task would be to listen and let us know if you hear anything that could point to a threat of harm against myself or our people. You will be provided with room and board and, should you need anything, you only need to ask. You will also be provided a small stipend that you may use or save as you see fit and you are welcome to leave whenever you wish. 

“I will warn you that we are more like a close-knit family than maybe what you would expect from a group like this, but everyone has joined of their own free will and desire to help. Do you accept?”

Shirogane nods. “On one condition, your majesty.”

“Name it.”

“Please call me Shiro.”

Lance chuckles softly, stepping down from his throne and holding his hand out to the former captain. “Welcome to my harem, Shiro.”

*~*~*~*

It’s definitely not easy--which is probably a good thing--for Keith to break into the palace, but he’s stubborn. Like hell he’s going to get the news that his brother, recently honorably discharged from the army due to injuries, has joined the king’s harem and do _nothing_. His brother is able to do so much more than just being a bed warmer for the rest of his life. 

Keith watches for the right moments to slip between the guards, careful to make as little sound as possible. It won’t do him any good if he’s heard before he can even reach his brother.

Thankfully, it’s easy enough to tell which room is Shiro’s, with the names on each door. He’s surprised to see it just say, “Shiro,” though. His brother isn’t one to give out the nickname very often. Not unless he trusts those he’s sharing it with. Keith shakes his head. No time for wondering about that.

The door is locked, but it takes only a moment for Keith to pick it and slip inside, shutting it silently behind him. He isn’t surprised in the slightest to see his brother already sitting up in the bed, dagger drawn. 

“Shiro, it’s just me,” he says, not stepping any closer. 

“Keith?” Shiro asks, sounding surprised as his shoulders relax. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Getting you out,” Keith replies, moving closer to the bed. “Do you have anything here you need to pack? We need to go soon before we lose our chance.”

But Shiro isn’t getting up. If anything, he looks like he relaxes more into the sheets. Does Keith have to argue with him about his worth? Because he will. Shiro should know better than to test him. 

“I’m not leaving.”

Arguing it is. But before Keith can do more than suck in a breath, his brother continues. 

“I know what most people are going to say about me staying here, but I promise you it’s not like that. His majesty doesn’t ask people to join for sexual favors.”

Keith gives Shiro a bland look. “The king has people join his _harem_ and it’s not for sex?”

“No,” Shiro replies with a shake of his head and a small laugh. He takes the time to explain everything the king had told him during their discussion while Keith remains silent, considering. 

“I really feel I could do some good here, even if it’s not what I planned,” Shiro finishes. 

Keith can’t begrudge him that desire. He’d seen Shiro’s worry of what to do next when he’d visited his brother in the medical wing.

“And you’re really not expected to have sex with anyone?” he asks one last time for his own piece of mind. 

Shiro shakes his head again. “Not unless it’s my own choice.”

By the time they’re done talking, the sky is starting to lighten with pre-dawn. “You should go, before it gets even harder for you to sneak back out.”

Keith gives Shiro a hug before doing just that, finding it easier to get out of the castle than it had been to get in.

He takes a deep breath when he gets back to their small apartment. Fine, if his brother wants to do this, he’ll just have to be there to keep an eye on him. 

*~*~*~*

Lance smiles as he watches Adam approach Shiro. He’d noticed the duke’s interest in the captain more than once during Shiro’s recovery and cannot say he’s surprised that Adam takes it upon himself to strike up a conversation now that he has the chance. Shiro, for his part, looks more relieved than anything to have someone to talk to rather than simply standing along the wall awkwardly.

The king hums as he turns back to Lady Romelle, his slight distraction not having been noticed as she continues to chatter. They both know she’s not saying anything of consequence, not with everyone else around, but it helps keep up appearances. No one else will bother him while she’s here, after all. But he is growing tired of the glances being thrown his way and the glares being sent at Romelle.

“My lady, would you be willing to join me in a quieter setting?” Lance asks smoothly when she pauses between stories, not wanting to actually interrupt her.

Romelle smiles at him, more than happy herself to escape the eyes of the court. “Of course, your majesty.”

Lance stands and offers Romelle his hand, grinning as she takes it and leads her to an adjoining sitting room, properly closed off and insulated against prying eyes and ears. He nods at Kolivan as he stands by the doorway before Lance even finishes closing the door behind them.

As soon as the latch clicks with a flash of magic, Romelle’s shoulders drop and she lets out a sigh of relief. “Oh, that never gets any less exhausting.”

Frowning, Lance drops gracefully onto one of the many large pillows around the room. “If it’s too much, please don’t feel like you have to keep this up for my sake.”

Romelle places her hands on her hips, glaring at her king, one of the only few brave enough to do so. “We’ve been over this, your majesty. It’s no actual hardship for me. Some days are just easier than others. You’re my friend. And as if I’m going to leave you to the mercy of _those_ vultures,” she says gesturing back to the door. 

“If you’re my friend, you should remember to call me by my name behind closed doors, my lady,” Lance drawls as Hunk slips through a hidden door in the back of the room to join them. The ward around the room ripples momentarily before smoothing out.

“Are you two at it again?” Hunk asks with a shake of his head as he takes a seat near Lance and pulls Romelle to join him. She sits across his lap willingly and rests her head on his shoulder. 

Lance smiles at the pair of them. “Where’s Allura right now?”

“She’s busy gossiping with some of the ladies in the court. They’re trading information on some of the newest hairstyle trends, last I heard,” Hunk replies. He settles an arm around Romelle’s waist. 

“Oh, she’s going to turn me into her doll again,” Romelle laments. 

Hunk gives her a quick squeeze. “As if you won’t love every minute of it.”

Both boys laugh as she turns pink, not denying the accusation. “ _You_ try not melting as she runs her fingers through your hair.”

Lance shakes his head as he leans back further into his cushion, letting them have their moment. While he doesn't begrudge the three of them at all, it simply brings to light that he can’t get a romantic relationship with _one_ person, which sneaks up to hurt him in his more vulnerable moments.

*~*~*~*

After spending the better part of the day lost in thought as he works various odd jobs around the city, Keith has to admit that he’s probably about to do something crazy. Something that could very well get him killed. 

He could be logical about this, request an audience with his majesty, but it could easily be refused or take months before it’s granted. He doesn’t have that kind of time if he’s going to keep an eye on his brother. If he’s not quick, his brother could be hurt worse than he’d been in battle, could even--

He pushes the thought from his mind quickly. 

Left to his own devices until sundown, Keith packs what few belongings he would want to keep with him if he succeeds in his task. Hopefully the king would be willing to let him come back to grab them should he accept Keith’s request. If not, or if he is killed as part of this, they’d at least be easy for Shiro to find should he want them. 

As soon as the sky is dark and the first lamps are lit, Keith ties a scrap of fabric over the lower half of his face to hide his pale skin and makes sure his fingerless gloves are secure. (Yes, he could use proper gloves, he tells the voice in his head that sounds very much like Shiro, but they interfere too much with his grip, thanks.) He slips out into the night and makes his way to the castle, only having to dodge a few stray drunks along the way. Even if they likely wouldn’t recognize him in their states, he can’t take the chance.

Getting back inside the castle is still difficult, but not impossible, and he’s glad that his break-in yesterday hasn’t been noticed. The guards’ patterns are the same and he slips between them to get inside. Finding a way into the king’s quarters, though, takes a little more strategy than simply waltzing into the harem’s wing. The large man standing at the start of the royal wing is not someone Keith thinks he can slip by or take on directly, not if he wants to live. 

He stays hidden in an alcove and considers his options. 

The king’s rooms probably have some sort of balcony, but the guards outside would notice him scaling the wall and shoot him down before he could get inside. There must be hidden passageways, but he doesn’t have the kind of time he would need to find and navigate them. 

Biting his lip as he finds himself running out of options, Keith jumps as there’s a commotion down the hall. He tucks further into his hiding spot as the large guard immediately rushes down to see what is going on, leaving the royal wing open entirely. 

Did that really just happen? 

Not about to take the time to question his luck, he darts down the hallway, keeping to the shadows. Of course, there are over a half dozen doors to check, but he assumes that the room he’s looking for will be at the end of the hall. Where else would a king sleep?

His hunch proves correct when he finds the king sitting up in his bed, papers spread around him. Keith hadn’t expected him to be awake, but, well, at least he doesn’t have to feel bad about waking him up. He looks oddly normal without his usual regal clothing and jewelry he wears for public appearances. Keith isn’t sure what to make of that.

“Koli--” the king starts, looking up, but freezing when he sees Keith instead of whomever he was expecting. He moves to grab something from his nightstand and Keith pulls the fabric down from his face and holds up his hands to hopefully show he means no harm.

“Your majesty, my apologies, but I just want a moment of your time to make a request.”

The king pauses once more, raising a delicate eyebrow. “And this request wouldn’t be for my life or my throne, would it?”

Keith shakes his head, keeping his hands up. He takes a deep breath. “Actually, the opposite. I’m here to request to join your...your harem.”

There’s silence in the room as his words hang between them, and then the king’s expression brightens as he bursts into a fit of laughter. “You’ve broken into my castle, into my _room_ to ask me this? While you do look very cute from what I can see of you, I’m not sure if you’re my type.”

Flushing brightly as his mouth falls into a pout, Keith takes a hesitant step forward to get himself more in the light. It might help his case, after all. “I mean no offense, your majesty, but that is not why I am asking. My brother is Takashi Shirogane and I spoke with him last night. He told me the truth and, while I don’t imagine you’d let anyone under your direct protection come to harm, I...can’t see him get hurt again, not if I can help prevent it.”

The king is still grinning when Keith finishes, which he hopes is a good sign. “So, if I understand this correctly, you’ve now broken into my castle not once, but _twice_ in two days. All to check on your brother and keep him safe?” 

Keith nods, not sure what else to say. He knows it may sound foolish, but Shiro is the only family he has. 

Resting his elbows on his knees and his chin on his laced fingers, the king watches Keith carefully for a moment. Keith tries not to fidget under the scrutiny. “Well, I suppose I wouldn’t mind a pretty thing like you in my harem.” He chuckles again when Keith blushes. “Where to put you, though. From what I can guess of your personality thus far, I don’t imagine you’d be very good at gathering information from those around the court.”

“How can you tell something like that when we’ve only been talking for a few minutes?” Keith asks, more curious than offended. It’s not like the king is wrong, after all. 

“It’s a skill I’ve sadly had to develop,” the king replies, but says no more on the matter. Keith doesn’t feel like it would be his place to pry, either. “I think I’ll actually put you to work under Kolivan. He’s the head of my security. If you’ve been able to slip in twice now, then we’re obviously lacking in some areas. And it would tie into your reason for joining as well.”

That...actually would be a great fit. Keeping the king, the whole palace protected, will do wonders for his anxieties on keeping his brother safe. He nods again, a small smile on his face as he finally remembers his manners, bowing. “Your majesty, I would very much appreciate that.”

The king waves his hand dismissively. “None of that, at least not behind closed doors. Of course, you’ll have to keep up appearances while around anyone outside the staff here, but otherwise, you’re welcome to call me by name. And I don’t believe you’ve told me yours.”

Keith flushes again. He can’t believe he made his initial request without ever introducing himself. No wonder the king had teased him. “I...Keith. Keith Kogane.”

The king nods and moves his papers aside, likely in some kind of order given how careful he is with them. If he wonders about the difference between Keith’s and Shiro’s last names, he doesn’t say anything. He steps around Keith and goes to the door, cracking it slightly. “Kolivan,” he calls in a low voice, and the large man at the end of the hall turns and walks down as if the king had shouted for him. 

Kolivan looks between the king and Keith, raising an eyebrow, but says nothing. 

Huffing at him good-naturedly, the king smiles. “Would you be able to get someone to show Keith to the south wing and set him up in a room, preferably next to Shiro’s? And he’ll be working under you to improve security around the palace. Apparently we’ve been slacking a bit.”

Kolivan regards Keith again. “You’re the one that snuck in last night.”

Oh, so he hadn’t been completely unnoticed. Keith ducks his gaze. “I...yes. I wanted to make sure my brother was all right.”

“You didn’t cause the ruckus in the eastern hall this evening as well, did you?”

Keith looks up, confused. “Is that what drew you away earlier?”

Kolivan frowns at him, but then shakes his head. “It’s of no consequence. If you have been able to get in twice now, then we are certainly lacking. You will help us fill the gaps, and then we’ll have you put everyone to the test.”

Well, at least his new boss (is Kolivan his boss? Or is the king? Is that something he should ask about?) doesn’t seem mad at him for breaking in. Or saying he should be imprisoned for it. Part of him still can’t believe he even succeeded in joining the king’s harem. But putting the guards to the test? “You want me to try to break in again after helping you increase security?”

“Of course. How else will we know if the improvements worked?” Kolivan asked, eyebrow raising again. 

And...Keith has nothing to say to that. 

“But, come. Lance should be sleeping if he wants to be able to do his job properly tomorrow.”

The king chuckles and waves his hand again. “I know, I know. I was just about done anyway. I’ll get plenty of beauty sleep tonight, don’t you worry.”

Hearing the king’s name dropped so casually, without any sort of title, startles Keith, even knowing that the king had given him permission to do the same.

“Come,” Kolivan says, stepping out of the room and Keith is quick to follow, not wanting to risk being left behind. He glances back as the king’s door shuts behind them and notices that even when they reach the end of the hall, the light is still shining from under the door.

*~*~*~*

The next few days are a whirlwind for Keith, starting with his brother lecturing him the next morning for how reckless he’d been. As soon as he sees Kolivan, though, Keith gives Shiro a salute and takes off after him, eager to get away from that and learn what he’ll be doing. 

While doing that, he gradually meets the rest of the harem as well, surprised to learn just what a wide range of backgrounds they all come from. 

Matt’s in the same situation as Shiro, injured in the field, and the two get along splendidly. Pidge had pulled a stunt similar to Keith’s, demanding to join his staff in front of the whole court, as she’s a bit young to be considered a part of the harem. The king had been amused by her, as well.

Maybe he has a soft spot for younger siblings, since he is one himself?

Allura joined to escape a betrothal she wanted no part of and that’s all she’ll say on the matter. Given how she carries herself, Keith can tell she used to be a noble. It must have been a horrible match for her to need to find an escape and protection under the king. She seems far too headstrong to run when fighting is an option. 

And Hunk was the first member of the harem. Keith finds himself enjoying the big man’s company immediately. He’s so warm and welcoming that it’s hard not to. He told Keith briefly that he and the king had grown up together, as his parents had been servants in the palace previously. Hunk’s position grants them a stipend enough to keep them comfortable for the rest of their lives without ever having to work again. The king had initially offered it without anything in return, which Hunk wouldn’t agree to at all. Starting the harem was originally a joke between them to “make things fair.” 

And it somehow grew into this.

It is overwhelming. The others were more than happy to welcome him into the fold, but...how could they so suddenly? How were they all so trusting, especially considering what some of them had come from? 

They all gave the same answer. They trusted the king’s judgement. Plenty of people had been considered to join them before, either through requests or the king’s own consideration, but somehow the king was able to tell just by looking at a person who could be trusted and who couldn’t.

And the more he learns about the king through them, the more intrigued he grows.

Just what kind of person is he?

*~*~*~*

“How _dare_ \--!”

Lance is standing from his throne before the hand is raised. He’d been watching his chosen do their work around the room and had initially frowned at the Count that had taken interest in Matt. He trusts Matt to be able to hold his own when mingling with visitors, same as he does any of the others, but this is too much.

 _Never_ to one of his own.

Kolivan grabs the Count’s hand before it can strike Matt and forcibly drags him over to the royal dais. 

The Count has the decency to remember his place when he sees Lance, averting his eyes properly. “Your majesty, I did not mean to cause any disturbance.”

Meeting Matt’s eyes, he signals for the man to join him. He doesn’t say a word until the former soldier is on the edge of the dias with him. “Do you have a quarrel with him?”

“I was merely requesting a private moment with your concubine, your majesty,” the Count replied, still keeping his eyes lowered. “To be part of your harem, he must have exceptional skills indeed. However, he refused to entertain me.”

“And this was cause to raise a hand against him?”

“Should a whore not know their place, your majesty?” He raised his gaze and smiled, as if Lance should be in with this strange conspiracy of ideas.

Lance frowns sharply. “I don’t know where you would have gotten any such ideas in your head, though it speaks magnitudes on how you treat those under you if you’d treat one of your king’s own like this,” he says, voice as brittle as ice. “If you’d listened to any of those around you, you would know better than to have even attempted such a grave blunder. However, let me inform you now so you have no doubts later.”

He takes a step closer, using his own height and the steps of the dias to loom over the Count. “Any of _mine_ are here for my pleasure only. If they desire to _entertain_ anyone else, that is their choice and their choice alone. And as you appear to lack any sort of respect for the home you are in, I see no reason you should be left to run one of your own.”

“Your majesty!” the Count cries out, finally looking afraid. 

Good.

“You are stripped of your lands and your title. For now, the crown takes control of any of your former responsibilities. We will appoint a suitable replacement for you by the end of the fortnight.”

The former Count lets out a noise of outrage as Kolivan forcibly drags him away to expel him from the castle grounds. 

Lance turns to his audience with a smile as the pair leave the hall. “My most sincere apologies for the disturbance. However, it appears I must call our mingling short today to take care of a promotion.”

There is some laughter through the crowd. It isn’t the first time Lance has had to make an example of some upstart lower noble and it will not be the last. It doesn’t make it any less exhausting. 

As people begin to trickle out, Lance takes his own leave for one of the private gathering rooms. His own will join them shortly.

*~*~*~*

When Matt follows in behind him a moment later, Lance holds his shoulders gently and looks him over. “He didn’t hurt you at all, did he?”

“No, Lance, I’m fine,” Matt replies, grinning. “Kolivan saw it coming before I did, though, I should have seen it just as fast. There have been some rumors going around of his treatment of those in his former county. I hadn’t realized he would try something so foolish here.”

Expression darkening, Lance’s fingers clench in Matt’s shoulders. “I should have had him imprisoned.”

Matt pulls Lance’s hands off his shoulders and holds them in his own. “You could have. You would have been perfectly within your right to do so. But that’s not the kind of king you are.”

“Besides,” Pidge cuts in, startling both of them, “he’s got more than enough of his own hell waiting for him when he returns. When his ‘subjects’ realize that he’s not in charge anymore?” She shakes her head. “He’s better off just not going back.”

Letting go of Lance’s hands, Matt pulls his little sister into a hug. “You need to stop sneaking up on people.”

“Never,” Pidge replies, returning the hug and turning to look at Lance. “Thanks for looking out for my idiot brother.”

“Of course,” Lance says, ruffling her hair softly. “Not like you wouldn’t have found some spell or potion for your own revenge if I hadn’t.”

Pidge smiles unapologetically. “Yes, but your way is much less messy.” 

The rest of his own begin making their way into the room soon after, until the majority of the cushions are filled. Shiro gives Matt a pat on the shoulders. Allura and Romelle both give him a quick hug before joining Hunk on a small mountain of pillows. 

Keith is the last to join them, giving a nod to the group as a whole as the door seals completely behind him. “Kolivan said to pass on that the former count is off castle grounds and has an escort leading him out of the city.”

The room relaxes at the news. It’s still not happy, though, and that needs to be fixed. 

Lance bats his eyelashes at Allura, who scoffs and pushes his shoulder. 

“Don’t you start that,” she warns.

“But my beautiful princess, how could I not tell you how radiant you look today,” Lance replies, taking her hand and kissing the air above it, as if she were the royal instead of him. 

She blushes slightly, but is smiling. “I’m sure you say that to all the pretty ladies at court.”

 _Oh_ , it’s always a treat when she’s willing to play along. Lance puts his hand to his chest, gasping. “How could you accuse me of such things, princess?”

The others around them break into their own giggles or shake their heads in amusement as they sit around the various cushions. Only the newest addition to their group looks on in what appears to be bemusement. 

It’s rare that they’re all able to hang out together like this and he wants to enjoy every moment of it.

“So that wasn’t my girlfriend I saw you fawning over in court again today?” Allura counters, and, well, she’s not _wrong_.

Lance turns to Keith with an exaggerated frown on his face, eyebrows tilted in sadness. “Can you believe the lies she’s spreading about me?”

Keith’s eyes go wide as he stiffens. “I...I mean, you kinda were.”

“Betrayed! Betrayed by those gathered to protect me!” Lance cries, falling back on his pillows with a hand over his forehead. 

“But...I know it was because that one creepy countess from the south was visiting…” Keith continues, startling Lance. “I probably would have done the same in your position.”

Lance breaks into a grin and gestures at Keith. “See? He gets it. Sorry, princess, he’s my favorite now.”

“Oh, no, whatever will I do?” Allura says dryly as she leans against Hunk, moving to fiddle with Romelle’s hair now that her hands are free. 

“You won’t ever betray me like that, will you, my lovely desert rose?” Lance asks, turning back to Keith with a pleading gaze.

It’s entertaining to watch just how red Keith’s pale skin can get, even though he hadn’t expected that kind of reaction at all. 

Oh, well, that’s certainly interesting.

*~*~*~*

If he were being honest, Keith would say that the new nickname that the king had given him was embarrassing but sweet. No one had ever called him anything so nice before. He knows there’s nothing really behind it, though, given how the king acts with the rest of his harem, so he shoves the warm feelings aside to deal with another day. 

Or maybe never. Never sounds good, too.

“Hey, Keith, just a moment.”

Keith pauses on his way around the castle, constantly looking for areas that someone breaking in could take advantage of. He’s pleased to see they’re getting harder and harder to spot. He looks back to see the king stepping quickly to join him. “Is there something wrong?” 

While he’s been able to drop the formal titles for the king, he’s still not quite comfortable with addressing him by name.

The king shakes his head as he gestures for Keith to walk with him. “No, no, nothing like that. I just wanted to make sure that you’re doing all right. Everything’s going good with your tasks? Nothing too demanding?”

Keith gives him a curious look, not sure where this is coming from. Kolivan hadn’t complained about him, had he? It was so hard to get a read on the captain. “No, I’ve been enjoying it a lot.” 

“I’m glad to hear it,” the king replies with a smile. “Kolivan said he’s very glad you’re on our side and not some would-be assassin, for what you’ve all pointed out to him.”

“I..I would never--” Keith blanches. 

The king shakes his head with a smile. “No, no, don’t worry. That’s not a slight against you at all. If anything, it’s a compliment, so take it as one, yeah?”

Falling silent, Keith stares at their feet as they continue walking slowly. He does appreciate the compliment, now that he knows he doesn’t need to panic over it, but it leaves him at a loss of what to say. It would be normal to thank someone for that, right? Gods, why does he have to be so awkward with conversations like this?

“Hey, you sure you’re good? There isn’t anything you need, right? Nothing you’re lacking here?” the king pries.

Keith shakes his head, taking a deep breath and relaxing his posture. “No, no, nothing like that. I’m just...bad with words. I promise, I have everything I could want and then some here.” That is a good answer, right? Even if he gets hungry in the middle of the night, there is always someone working in the kitchens to make sure guards are fed properly at all hours. With that and the softest bed he could ask for, and the ability to keep his room as warm as he wants it, his brother safe in the room next to his, what more could he possibly desire? Well, maybe one thing, but he beats that thought back before he accidentally says something out loud that he shouldn’t. 

The king gives him a soft smile and Keith hopes his face doesn’t look as warm as it feels. “I’m glad to hear it. I want to make sure you guys are all comfortable here. It’s the least I can do with all the work you’re doing to keep me safe, yeah?”

Does the king really think so little of his role, of his own power? He could demand so much more of them. But he’s basically letting them do whatever they want as long as they try to keep the throne (and by extension the king himself) safe. Does he honestly think he needs to give them _more_? “I...um...I’ll let you know if I think of anything, but...but I promise I’m good.”

Nodding, the king gives Keith a pat on his shoulder, leaving the skin tingling even though _his shirt is between them_. “All right, I’ll leave you to it. But you better come find me if you think of anything.”

Keith nods and the king gives him another one of those soft smiles before he sees Hunk, calling out to him in the same way he’d gotten Keith’s attention and darting off to join him.

He tries not to think about how he would have enjoyed having the king’s attention just a little longer.

*~*~*~*

At least Hunk has the decency to wait until Keith is out of earshot, Lance thinks, only a touch bitter. (Though, it’s mostly fond that his best friend is still able to see right through him after all of these years.)

“Keith’s adjusting well, then? Or are you also following up with Shiro the same way?” Hunk asks, voice light and teasing.

Lance sticks his tongue out, no matter how _unbecoming_ it might be to do such things--his childhood tutor can’t scold him now. “You know that I check up with all of you regularly. I don’t know if I like what you’re trying to imply here.”

“When you check in with the rest of us, you definitely don’t look at us like you’re mooning over us.” Hunk glances at him out of the corner of his eye. “Unless there’s something you’re not telling me? Are you secretly infatuated with me, buddy?”

“Well, you are an absolute catch,” Lance can’t help but tease back. He glances around to make sure they’re alone before stepping to the side of the hallway and leaning against the wall. His shoulders droop. “But he’s kinda cute, right?”

Hunk stands next to him and throws a comforting arm around his shoulders. “Maybe like how a stray cat is cute, though he’s definitely looking less scrappy than when he joined us.”

“ _Hunk_.” 

“What? You can’t tell me he didn’t look underfed as hell when he first got here,” Hunk says, chuckling softly at Lance’s pained expression. “Okay, okay, fine. I can see where someone would find him cute.”

The admission doesn’t make Lance feel any better, surprisingly. Of course Keith is cute, and his awkward personality made him all the more adorable to anyone that takes the time to talk to him. There’s no way that Lance is the only one that’s thought so. And while some may say that since he’s king, he should be able to woo anyone he wants, he knows that’s not actually the case. When he had only been a prince that may have been how it worked, but now...the fear of being so much in the public eye, of having to help _rule a country_ , makes those he might be interested in hesitate. 

Really, though, why is he thinking of Keith like that? He’d only admitted that he thinks the smaller man’s cute, nothing else. Physical attraction isn’t enough to base something long-term on. 

No, he’s not going to admit to anything else today, that’s more than enough. And even if he does like Keith for more than just his looks--which he _doesn’t_ \--there’s no way Keith would consider anything long term with him. He hates being anywhere near the center of attention. Being in a relationship with _royalty_? It’s almost laughable. 

“Hey, no,” Hunk cuts into Lance’s thoughts. “None of that. I know that face. Don’t go putting yourself down before you have a chance.” He squeezes the arm around Lance’s shoulders. “I know it may seem that way now, but you’ll find someone. That may be Keith, that may be someone else, but you _will_. And when it happens, I’ll get to cry at your wedding while telling you ‘ _I told you so_.’”

Lance smiles slightly, though he knows it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Thanks, man. I really appreciate it. I should go check in with the others, too, make sure they’re all okay.”

HIs best friend gives him a look that says he doesn’t believe that Lance is going to do what he says at all, but he’s nice enough to not call him out on it. “Fine, but if you’re still feeling off later, send for me, yeah? Whenever you need me, I promise I’ll be there.”

Smiling a little more honestly, Lance gives Hunk a hug and a pat on the back before wandering off. He may not be up for checking in with everyone, but he should at least make sure Shiro’s also all right, see how he and Adam have been getting along if nothing else. 

Maybe there’s some gossip that will help distract him. Adam always has the best dirt on anyone.

*~*~*~*

Keith is with Kolivan going over drawings of the layout of the palace when he looks up at the king working diligently at his desk at the other side of the room. It’d been bugging him for a while, but he can’t shake off the observation any longer. 

The king looks sad.

It’s not any one thing in particular that makes Keith draw the conclusion, but all the little bits together. Even so, he’s not sure what to do with this information. Should he try to make a joke? Ask what’s wrong? Would he even know what to say to try to cheer him up? Or would he only bring the mood down more?

Kolivan seems unbothered by the obvious cloud over the king. Keith bites his lower lip and decides that he will follow the captain’s lead for now. He’s not as close to the king as the others are anyway, even though he’s been here for several weeks. He probably would only make things worse.

Another candlemark passes before Lance puts down his quill and sighs, standing slowly. He doesn’t even stretch like he usually does, which sets off more red flags in Keith’s mind.

“Kolivan, could you send Hunk to my room later if he’s free?” the king asks, gathering a few papers. It’s a horrible habit he has, taking his paperwork to bed with him, but Keith has to respect his dedication. 

“Of course,” Kolivan rumbles in return. “Keith, pack all of this up. We will continue in the morning.”

“Yes, sir,” Keith murmurs in reply. He’s done with his task in moments. As he’s walking down the hall to his room, he nearly crashes into Hunk. “Oh, I’m sorry!”

The big guy reaches out and steadies him and laughs. “No, my fault. I was hoping you were still in here anyway.”

Keith blinks a few times in surprise. “You...were?”

“Yeah, was hoping you’d be able to drop this off on Lance’s desk for him to see in the morning.” Hunk holds out a small stack of papers.

Taking the stack with some confusion, Keith nods. “I can do that, sure. Oh, did Kolivan find you, the king said he was looking for you?”

Hunk gives him a slight smile. “I’m heading over to him now, which is why I was hoping you could take those reports for me. If I take them with me, Lance will be up half the night trying to work on them. And if I take much longer going to see him, he’ll start thinking in circles again.”

Oh, that makes more sense as to why Hunk would ask him, then. “Course. You better get going, then, yeah?”

“Thanks, man,” Hunk says, giving him a slight smile and darting off down the hall. 

So he really hadn’t been imagining how sad the king looked. Keith frowns as he goes back to the office and places the papers on the center of the king’s desk, recognizing Hunk’s handwriting. Looks like there is a lot more gossip than usual going around. He’s glad Hunk asked him to bring these here instead of taking them to the king. Given how he looked earlier, he didn’t need anything else to worry about to bring his mood down more. He still can’t shake the feeling of how wrong it is to see the king so sad. 

He hopes that Hunk is able to help.

*~*~*~*

When the door opens, Lance looks up from his lap and slumps in relief to see that it’s Hunk. He doesn’t think he could handle talking to anyone else right now, no matter how social he normally is.

Hunk, for his part, doesn’t say anything. They both know each other well enough for him to read the situation. He slips onto the bed behind Lance and gathers his best friend into his arms. Pressing a kiss to his forehead, Hunk carefully pets his fingers through Lance’s hair as he waits for Lance to vocalize what he needs tonight. 

“Help me forget everything? Just for a little bit?” Lance murmurs finally, tucking his face into Hunk’s neck. He’s not proud of how he gets needy like this, how he needs to drown out his own mind, but Hunk never judges him for it, which he appreciates more than he can say. 

“Of course, buddy,” Hunk replies, letting Lance hide as his hands begin to wander, allowing Lance to drown in sensation until his mind blessedly goes silent.

*~*~*~*

It’s not the first time that Hunk’s been summoned to the king’s room since Keith started living and working in the palace, but it’s the first time that Keith has noticed Hunk leaving the room early in the morning as Keith happens to walk by on his personal patrols. At first, he thinks that maybe Hunk had been requested again, or was bringing Lance breakfast, but...it’s far too early. The king is notorious for not being up until what he calls a _reasonable hour_. There’s no way he’d willingly be awake at first light. 

Hunk catches his eye and waves hello as he closes the door carefully behind him. Keith waves back, not sure what to think of this at all. Nor why his stomach is churning unpleasantly at the implications of Hunk spending the night with the king. 

Lost in his own mind, he almost misses Hunk gesturing for Keith to follow him into one of the nearby empty rooms. These don’t have the silencing spells that the private rooms off the main audience chamber do, but there likely won’t be anyone around to attempt to overhear.

“You probably have some questions,” Hunk says suddenly, voice lacking any inflection to give a clue to his mood.

Keith flinches. “I...I don’t want to pry. It’s not my business.”

Hunk smiles slightly and shakes his head. “It’s nothing like that. It’s not a big secret or anything. You know how Lance’s whole family is either living in other countries or dead, right?”

That’s a rather blunt way to put it, but Keith does appreciate Hunk being straightforward with him. It’s widely known about the day the king’s father and eldest brother were killed, and how his mother passed within the same year, though there’s only rumors in the city as to _why_. And with his other siblings all married to royalty in other countries, it fell on the current king’s shoulders to ascend the throne. Keith never felt the need to pry beyond the facts shared. His own past has deaths and disappearances he’d rather not dig into too much.

“I’m aware.”

“Well, he gets...lonely, for lack of a better word. He used to be part of such a large family and now he’s the only one left here. Some days end up being harder than others, and when it gets to be too much, I tell him to ask for me,” Hunk explains, his posture open and relaxed. “And I’ll do what I can to help him get through it, distract him or whatever he may need. Sometimes he only needs the help for a short time, sometimes he needs it for the whole night. Last night was...one of the really bad ones.”

“That includes…?” Keith asks, trailing off with a blush.

At least Hunk understands what he’s trying to say without forcing him to actually _say_ it. “Sometimes. Like I said, whatever he needs to get through it. If that means some physical comfort, then that’s what it includes. Or sometimes he’s just horny and needs relief, though it’s not always me helping him in those cases. It’s all completely consensual, too. Lance would never force someone. He freaks out if the other person isn’t into it. If I’m not feeling it, we just cuddle or something instead.”

Keith swallows, giving himself a moment to process the information that Hunk’s shared. “Oh...that’s...that’s good.”

“Lance is as human as the rest of us, you know? He can’t be kept on a pedestal, even if he is the king. He has needs and such, too.” Hunk is watching him oddly and Keith has to shake himself mentally so that he doesn’t worry the big man. 

“Yeah, of course, I didn’t mean to pry,” Keith replies, turning to glance out the window and startling when he sees just how high the sun has gotten. “Shoot, I...Kolivan will be wondering where I’m at.”

Hunk laughs. “Go on, buddy. We’re all kinda scared of Kolivan, that whole stoic thing he has going on, you know?”

Keith does know. It makes it so hard to get a read on the man, especially when he already has such a hard time understanding social cues. He gives Hunk a nod in agreement before slipping out of the room, hoping Kolivan won’t be frowning when he joins him. 

It’s almost worse than Shiro’s disappointed face. 

But his mind is elsewhere even as he goes through his daily tasks. He’d known intrinsically that the king is not that different from the rest of them, even with his title and power, but he’d never actually _thought_ about it. Now that he knows that the king does enjoy those kinds of relations, that he’s open to that kind of thing with others…

Well, now he can’t _stop_ thinking about it.

*~*~*~*

Lance blinks to awareness with a start, remaining still as he tries to identify what exactly woke him up. At first, there’s nothing. Maybe he’d just had some strange night terror? 

But then the noise happens again, a scuffle of some kind just outside his door. There’s a thump against the thick wood and Lance immediately reaches for his bedside drawer and for the small crossbow inside. Just as he’s able to make sure it’s ready and loaded, chaos bursts through his door.

In the low light, it takes him a moment to identify one of fighters as Keith, locked in a grapple with someone else. He lifts his hand, steady, but he sees a flash of metal and manages to dodge just in time for a dagger to fly past him and embed in his headboard, less than a handwidth away from where he’d been. Lance frowns, readies his aim again and breathes before pulling the trigger. 

The crossbow, engineered by Pidge and Hunk, makes barely a whisper of sound as the arrow is released, impaling the intruders’s shoulder. The potion on the arrowhead works quickly, and he’s pleased to see the would-be assassin’s arm go dead seconds later, turning the fight entirely in Keith’s favor. 

Of course, the noise draws attention of others, and Shiro joins them seconds later, helping his brother subdue the intruder long enough for Kolivan to arrive and restrain them with magically enhanced cuffs.

“Your Majesty, are you unharmed?” Kolivan asks as he lifts the intruder easily by their scruff. If his life hadn’t been in real danger seconds ago, Lance might have laughed at the sight.

He shakes his head quickly. “Not a scratch.”

Kolivan nods. “I’ll take care of this thorn, then, and give you a full report in the morning. Sleep well, Your Majesty,” he says, smirking when the intruder grumbles unhappily. 

As soon as the captain leaves the room, Lance brings up a low light to better see the two brothers. He hisses and darts forward when he sees the shine of blood on Keith’s temple.

“Shiro, go get Allura and Pidge,” Lance urges. Something in his tone must startle the large man, as he takes off without a word.

“What, no, Lance, it’s just a scratch. I’m fine,” Keith protests. 

Lance takes Keith’s chin gently in his hand and turns his head carefully to better see the thin stream coming from a cut just above his eyebrow. It looks small, at least, but that doesn’t make the amount of blood any less concerning. “I’m still getting them to look at it and patch you up. Do you remember what did it?”

The smaller man pouts. “They got a swing in that caught my temple. Must have broken the skin with the impact.”

“Well, given the swelling around the cut, you’re going to have an impressive bruise if the ladies aren’t able to heal it completely.”

“You’re really not hurt?” Keith asks, deflecting the conversation off of himself. 

Lance smiles slightly. “No, I’m not. I saw the dagger coming and got out of the way.” He gestures to where the blade is still embedded in the wood behind him. “Didn’t even touch my hair.”

Moving slowly, which just makes Lance more concerned about his injury, Keith pulls a scrap of fabric out of his pocket and uses it to grasp the dagger, pulling it out of the headboard. “It’s probably poisoned.” He examines it a little more, careful not to touch any of it to his bare skin, before wrapping it up completely in the fabric and placing it safely on the end table. 

“I’ll ask Pidge to examine it tomorrow, then. It might help Kolivan get more information from them.” He pulls Keith to sit down on the bed. He doesn’t want to risk the other becoming light-headed and aggravating his injuries before the others arrive.

More noise at the end of the hall makes them both tense until Lance recognizes Allura and Pidge rushing towards them. He can’t help his slight smile when he realizes that the whole group is following them.

“How bad?” Allura asks, all clinical as she stops before them, grasping Keith’s chin and turning his head as she gestures for Pidge to turn the lights on brighter. Lance frowns when he sees just how much worse it looks like that. 

Keith jerks away from her touch, scowling. “It’s just a scratch, really.”

“If that’s a scratch, then I’m a giant,” Pidge counters, going through her bag and pulling out a small jar, holding it out to Allura. “Just let us help, okay? You saved Lance. We all want to make sure you’re okay as well.”

Keith stills at that and lets Allura work without a fuss as she spreads the cream Pidge gave her over the cut. She mutters something under her breath and the cream glows pink. 

From his own experience, Lance knows that the magic feels tingly and he can’t help but reach out and squeeze Keith’s shoulder when the other’s eyes widen in surprise. Having both Pidge’s skills in potions and Allura’s innate magical abilities has proven useful time and time again for situations like these. In moments, the swelling has gone down and the bleeding stops. Allura wipes away the cream and makes a pleased hum at what she sees. 

“The skin will be a little thin for another day or two, but otherwise you’ll be fine,” she says, handing the jar back to Pidge. “Any other injuries? You _best_ not be hiding anything from us. ”

Lance chuckles as Keith blanches, leaning away. “No, promise. I mean…” He shrinks a little under the combined weight of Pidge and Allura’s glares. “Maybe a couple bruises from the fight, but nothing that needs attention. Shiro probably has them, too!”

When both ladies turn to Shiro, the former soldier scrambles back, hands up. “Small ones, if I have any at all. I only joined the fight near the very end.”

SIghing, Pidge digs through her bag and pulls out two small green jars. “ _Men_. This is a bruise salve. If anything hurts tomorrow, you better put this on it. It’ll help everything heal up faster, okay?” She places the jars on the end table next to the wrapped knife. “So what happened exactly?”

Scooting back towards the center of the bed, Lance gestures for everyone to join him. He wants to keep everyone close now that they’re all safe. He knows that Kolivan will up the protections around the palace for the evening, even though there’s nowhere safer he could be than surrounded by his own. They all look out for each other. He smiles as he sees Matt go to the far side of the bed, near the window and Shiro nods to him as he takes point on the side closest to the door. He should have figured the former soldiers would put themselves as the first line of defense no matter what. 

Pidge settles close to her brother, Allura, Romelle and Hunk joining her, the big guy closest to Lance. Again, Keith seems the only one confused by all of this and Lance sighs as he tugs Ketih to join him, letting him settle between Lance and Shiro, figuring he’d be more likely to relax if next to his brother. 

Once everyone is comfortable, more than a few pillows being traded around until the mattress more resembles a nest than a bed, Lance shares his perspective on the attack, keeping the story light-hearted more than anything. He doesn’t want to worry any of them needlessly, after all. The event is done and everyone came out fine.

He hands his crossbow over to Pidge when asked, letting her examine it closely. “The numbing potion on the arrow must have weakened over time. It should have been strong enough to completely knock them out. I’ll reapply it to your other arrows. I might have to test it every moon to make sure it remains potent.”

“Whatever you need to do, Pigeon,” Lance replies, dodging her swat at him for the nickname. “But we should all try to get some sleep, yeah? I feel like we’re going to have our work cut out for us in the morning.”

There’s a collective groan around the group, but he’s happy to see everyone lying down around him. Even Shiro gives Keith a playful nudge for him to recline. Lance feels eyes on him and he turns to see Keith watching him carefully. He raises an eyebrow as he fluffs his pillow.

“You’re really okay, Lance?”

If the others hadn’t been around, Lance would probably do something stupid to draw attention to the fact that this is the first time that he’s heard Keith say his name ever, even though he’s been with them for months at this point. But he doesn’t want to risk Keith becoming defensive about it, in case he decides to never say his name again, which would be an absolute tragedy. 

Instead he lies down and reaches out to brush Keith’s hair away from his face, leaning in to press his lips to the healed cut for just a moment. “I’m fine, desert rose. Thanks to you.”

Keith’s gaze softens and he tilts to push slightly against Lance’s hand, encouraging the touch. Lance can’t help but think that Hunk’s comparison of Keith to a cat might be more accurate than they’d realized.

Gods, his attraction may be more than a little physical. Keith’s eyes close and he does nothing to dislodge Lance’s hand.

Okay, more than a little. 

*~*~*~*

Even though he’d done his best to make it not appear that he’s avoiding his brother, Keith knows Shiro would figure it out eventually and corner him. He’d just been hoping for a _little_ more time.

When Shiro pulls him into one of the private sealed rooms, Keith crosses his arms and flops onto one of the cushions, scowling at nothing in particular. Just because Shiro noticed didn’t mean he’s going to make it _easy_ for him.

The older man sighs and shakes his head, though there is a fond smile on his face. Well, at least he hadn’t made his brother mad or anything. “So...since when have you been in love with Lance?”

Keith’s scowl deepens and Shiro chuckles. 

“That long, huh?”

Silence falls between them for a moment before Shiro sighs and places a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I’m not going to say anything like you should try to move on since he’s the king or anything like that, so please don’t worry about that. He’s a good person, that much is obvious to any of us. And he definitely cares about you, too.”

Keith knows that Lance definitely cares. Even with his inability to understand most social cues, he can’t deny that Lance was hovering until Allura and Pidge healed him up. But… “You said it, he’s the king. He can have anyone he wants.”

“And who’s to say that he wouldn’t want you? Yeah, you don’t have any sort of title or whatever, but you know that doesn’t matter to him. If it did, he would be married to one of those nobles that keep throwing themselves at him,” Shiro counters. 

“I have nothing to offer him,” Keith mutters, drawing his knees to his chest and wrapping his arms around his legs. “I’m a nobody orphan that broke into the palace to demand to join a harem.”

Shiro slides his own cushion closer to Keith’s and wraps his arm around his brother’s shoulders, drawing him close. “That’s bullshit and you know it. It has nothing to do with what you can offer, and even if it did, you have plenty. You’re caring and can help protect him, you’ve proven that already. Not to mention how well I’ve seen you two balance each other out when discussing anything to do with the security of the palace.”

“Anyone can do that, though,” Keith replies, dropping his head onto his knees.

“Maybe anyone _could_ , which I highly doubt, but don’t take away Lance’s decision in all of this, too. No matter what someone else _could_ do, it means _nothing_ if he doesn’t reciprocate. And he definitely reciprocates _something_ for you.”

Shiro keeps talking, his voice a soothing murmur that helps Keith relax even if he isn’t processing the words any longer. He’s lost in his own thoughts now, chasing everything around in circles, hoping to get them some semblance of order. 

Patience, that’s what Shiro’s always preaching. So he takes a deep breath and uses it to help distance himself just a little from his emotions so he can work to understand them. First and foremost, he knows he’s attracted to Lance, both physically and emotionally. Maybe it has to do with Lance being one of the first people to be so nice to him that wasn’t family (by blood or adopted), but he has nowhere near the same level of attraction to Hunk or Matt, and they’re both just as nice. But neither of them challenge him like Lance does, make him want to do better, be better. 

He _likes_ the person Lance makes him want to be.

But there is still the fact that Lance is the king, no matter how informal he is behind closed doors. Even if he doesn’t consciously think about it, he’s probably subconsciously partial to those that are much closer in rank to himself, at least for long-term relationships. He probably knows he’ll have to marry someone that his counsel will approve of, or it will have to be a political marriage to help strengthen ties with one of the neighboring countries, like his siblings had done. 

Gods, what is Keith doing, thinking about marriage? There’s no way…

His mind wanders to what Hunk had told him before, how Lance is open to relations with others for mutually beneficial enjoyment. It won’t do anything for his own emotional attraction to Lance, but...maybe sating the physical side will help him? Maybe just having that, even once, will be enough for him to let go and give Lance a smile when he finally does find someone that he wants for the long term? 

“I just want you to think about it,” Shiro says, voice breaking through his thoughts finally. 

Little does his brother know, but he has been thinking about it this whole time, though he might not approve of Keith’s conclusions. But that’s okay. 

“I will,” he replies. 

He knows he’s probably lying to himself at least a little. But if this is the only chance he has to be with Lance, how can he let it pass him by? 

*~*~*~*

Flopping onto his other side, Lance groans. He’d been hoping for an early night, but the fates are not being kind to him. There’s a restless energy burning under his skin that he cannot seem to shake on his own. And he’d tried, too. He’d been able to bring about a quick release, but it didn’t give him the feeling of satisfaction he’d hoped for.

It’s been a candlemark since then and he’s still unable to sleep. There’s nothing for it, he supposes. He makes sure his sleepware is in some semblance of order and that his hair _doesn’t_ look like he’s been tossing and turning for ages before cracking open his door, asking the guard at the end of the hall to send a request for Hunk to join him if he’s able. There might not be any deep emotional attachment between the two of them, but they have fun together.

He only has to wait a few moments before there’s a tentative knock on his door, which makes him frown. Hunk usually just comes in when he’s requested. Unless he’s not feeling up to fooling around tonight?

Hesitantly, he opens the door and is surprised to find Keith there instead. He tenses. “Is there something wrong?” he asks quietly, suddenly fearing there’s another attack happening. 

Keith shakes his head and slips into the room. Lance grows more confused as he watches the smaller man, closing the door to prevent any prying eyes or ears. Keith is staring at his feet and fidgeting, which doesn’t help Lance relax one bit. 

“Okay, desert rose, you’re beginning to make me really nervous here. What--”

He’s cut off when Keith suddenly looks up, determination in his gaze and hands raising to hold either side of Lance’s face, pulling him down into a kiss. 

It’s rough and awkward, with more force than it needs and their noses press uncomfortably together. It takes Lance a moment longer than he cares to admit to begin to respond. He lifts his own hands to cup Keith’s neck, thumbs brushing along his jaw as he gentles the kiss, fixing their angles, taking pleasure from the shiver he can feel pass through Keith’s form. 

But what is going on? Why is he here instead of Hunk?

He pulls away slowly, unable to stop his smile as Keith tries to follow him. “Not that I’m complaining at all, but what brought this on?”

Keith flushes all the way down his neck to his shirt collar and Lance has the distinct urge to see just how low it goes. “You want companionship tonight, right?”

Is this why he’s here instead of Lance’s best friend? “Yes...but I’d asked for Hunk. You don’t have to--”

“No, I…” Keith cuts him off with a shake of his head. “I want to be here. I want to...with you…”

Lance considers him for a moment, taking in the gleam in his eyes and his posture. Keith is certainly here of his own free will. Well, that’s...that’s certainly something. He could object, but why should he? He knows he wants Keith, in any way he can have him at this point. If Lance turns him away now, would he ever get another chance? “If we’re going to do anything together, I need to know your limits now, desert rose. If you are accepting my summons in Hunk’s place, you know what my own desires are, right?”

A deep breath, Keith squares his shoulders and looks up at him. "I know exactly what you want and I want the same. I want to make a dive into the dark with you, Lance."

“When did you learn to speak so eloquently?” Lance asks, that tingle under his skin increasing tenfold. 

Keith gives him a little smirk. “I learned from the best. Am I...are you all right with me?”

“More than, rose,” Lance replies, pulling Keith close so he can kiss that look of confident wariness off his face. 

He takes a moment to enjoy just this, the feel of Keith pressing against him, their height differences never more distinct, but not horrible enough that he has to bend uncomfortably. He savors the soft sounds that Keith lets out as their tongues slide together, growing more frequent as his hands begin to wander Keith’s shorter frame. 

What had started as an itch under his skin has become more insistent and he sees no reason to deny it any longer. With slow steps, he leads them back to his bed, never once separating his lips from Keith’s until absolutely necessary. “After you.”

Keith all too willingly climbs onto the mattress and settles onto his back, holding his arms open for Lance to join him. As if he has the power to resist such a siren’s call. He strips off his shirt--the loose fabric not what he wants to feel against his skin this evening--and heeds his partner’s request, slipping between Keith’s legs, settling over him. He runs his fingers through that wonderfully soft hair and kisses him once more as Keith’s fingers cling to his back. 

His hands gradually make their way under the bottom of Keith’s shirt and the other tenses. Lance pauses all movement, lifting his gaze to meet Keith’s eyes, looking as dark and mysterious as the night sky. 

“Is it all right if I keep my shirt on?” he whispers, biting his lower lip.

At the request, Lance relaxes. He doesn’t mind one bit and he moves to give Keith a kiss on the forehead. “Whatever you’re comfortable with. Thank you for telling me. Is this all right or should I move my hands elsewhere?”

“Below my ribs is fine. And you, too. Only what you’re comfortable with, yeah?” Keith asks breathlessly, smiling softly as he shifts against the pillows. 

Lance grins wolfishly, leaning down to whisper in Keith’s ear, “If you continue to be interested in joining me, you’ll find there is very little that I do not enjoy, desert rose.” He loves the sight of Keith tipping his head back with a gasp as another shiver wracks his body. He can hardly believe his luck that someone so wonderfully responsive has decided to join him. 

Since the shirt is staying where it is and there is plenty to enjoy elsewhere, Lance trails his lips down along Keith’s neck as his hands move lower, pausing when he reaches more fabric. “And these? Would you prefer these stay on or may I remove them?”

“Off, please,” Keith gasps, voice tapering off into a whine and hips twitching beneath Lance’s touch. 

Permission granted, Lance wastes no time in sliding Keith’s pants and undergarment down past his hips as they’re raised to make his task easier. He gives Keith one last kiss before shifting lower on the mattress. He places the material off to the side and spends a moment taking in the beautiful sight before him. Dark hair fanned all around his head, breathing sharp, and lovely pale skin turning steadily redder the longer Lance stares. 

Keith whines and rubs his thighs together. “Please, Lance.”

“Whatever my lovely desert rose desires,” Lance replies. He runs his fingers along those strong legs and smiles when they relax and part for him, giving him the first glimpse of how truly affected Keith is by everything. “Would you enjoy it if I had a taste of you? Has anyone ever done that for you?”

This time it’s an outright sob that escapes Keith’s throat and Lance would be concerned if he didn’t also have a clear view of Keith’s hips canting upward as he grows even slicker. Lance’s hunger grows at the sight, but he hasn’t gotten a clear answer. “May I, rose?”

“Mmhm,” Keith moans with a nod, hands tangling in the sheets. “No one’s ever…”

Oh, that simply will not do. Maybe Lance is a bit unusual, but he believes there’s little point in sharing a bed with someone if both parties don’t experience as much pleasure as they can together. He pushes Keith’s shirt up slightly as he leans his face closer to Keith’s sex, watching his expressions carefully. But there’s only desire there. “If you need me to stop, let me know. I won’t be upset.”

Keith nods again and Lance presses a kiss just below Keith’s belly button, sucking a mark there, a small claim that he’s been there, before moving lower, breathing gently against him before using his tongue to part Keith’s wet folds, the sharp intake of breath above him all the encouragement he needs.

He takes his time with it at first, letting Keith get used to the sensations, licks and kisses everywhere he can reach as his chin becomes soaked. When he finally sucks Keith’s clit into his mouth, the result is better than Lance could have hoped for. Keith’s hands fly to Lance’s head and grip the strands tightly as he nearly screams, pressing his hips harder against Lance’s face.

Lance’s cock throbs, but he continues to ignore it. He’s not finished here just yet. 

He brings his fingers into play, rubbing along Keith’s hole before sliding one in, a second following soon after with just how slick everything is. He curls them gently and knows he found the right spot when Keith clenches around him and all but gushes moments later.

Another sob escapes Keith and Lance looks up finally. The smaller man has his eyes squeezed shut, hands still in Lance’s hair as aftershocks shake his frame. Lance carefully removes his fingers and licks them clean, using the bedsheets to dry his face before sliding back up alongside Keith. 

Keith’s hands flop gracelessly to his sides when Lance moves, eyes only opening when Lance gives him a brief kiss. He’s panting and his eyes are sparkling even more than the night sky now, if that is even possible. 

“How are you doing, my rose?”

“Good,” Keith whispers out, smiling softly. “But we still need to take care of you.”

Lance can’t resist giving this beautiful man another kiss. “I can take care of myself if I’ve worn you out.”

HIs companion shakes his head quickly, eyebrows pinching. “No, I...I want you inside me. I...I mean...if you want.”

“I want,” Lance answers simply, smiling at the other’s blush. It’s endearing that Keith can have such a reaction even after what they’ve done so far. “Do you need more time before that, though?”

“No, please. I need you in me,” Keith replies, pulling Lance into another kiss and continuing to tug until Lance is properly above him once more. 

Only moments later, he’s pushing at Lance’s pants and Lance has to break their kiss with a chuckle. “Impatient, aren’t you, rose? Suppose I shouldn’t make you wait any longer.” As if he isn’t aching for the same thing himself. 

He removes the last of his clothes completely and lets his hips rest against Keith’s, grinding them together until Keith ruts up, hands scrambling along Lance’s back. Unable to resist any longer, he reaches down to line himself up and sinks slowly into that blissful heat, groaning. Nails dig into his back and he has to pause for a moment to prevent himself from moving too quickly. But then Keith wraps his legs around Lance’s waist and pulls him the rest of the way in, both of them gasping for breath when Lance is completely seated.

“Oh, gods above and below, you feel amazing,” Lance murmurs into the other’s hair. He presses a few kisses to Keith’s neck, not willing to leave a mark where others can see. He has no right to lay such a claim on Keith. But he can enjoy the time they have together, and he’s left marks elsewhere for Keith to remember him by. He shakes off the dark remaining thoughts before they can take hold. “How are you doing, rose?”

Keith whines and cants his hips as best he can against Lance’s, drawing moans out of both of them. “Move, please. Please, please, move.”

 _Gladly_ , Lance thinks, starting a slow rhythm with his hips that gradually increases the more that Keith demands. Oh, but he’s approaching his end too quickly like this, too worked up and Keith feeling too amazing to hold back much longer.

He shifts, searching as he continues his thrusts until Keith chokes on a moan and clings even more. He can feel fresh lines down his back as Keith holds on and moves in sync with him. It’s only a few more carefully aimed thrusts before Keith is sobbing as he comes, the increase of pressure around his cock dragging Lance right to the edge.

“Rose, should I…?” Lance asks, straining with the effort of holding back his release.

Keith clings to him all the tighter, continuing to move his hips even though he must be horribly overstimulated by now. “You can...in me. It’s fine, _please_.”

Helpless to resist, Lance comes almost on demand. He manages to hold himself up enough on shaky arms to keep from crushing Keith completely, though he’s sure the strong body beneath his could take it. As soon as he’s able to think clearly enough, he shifts to slide out of Keith and rolls them until they’re side by side and clear of any wet spots on the sheets, covering them both with the blankets before a chill can set in. He pulls Keith close until they’re snug together. He can only smile when his companion holds him just as tight; though, he can sense some hesitancy in the touch. 

“I would like for you to stay the night, but you don’t have to if you’d rather not.”

There’s a moment of silence as Keith thinks it over, but he relaxes more into the mattress and Lance hides a smile into the other’s hair. 

*~*~*~*

Awareness comes to Keith slowly, the heavy warmth around him making it harder than usual for him to wake. He blinks a few times as the room around him slowly comes into focus and memories of the previous night return. 

They shifted slightly in their sleep, Lance now flat on his back, holding Keith half on top of him. Keith raises his head from Lance’s chest and smiles at how handsome and relaxed he looks in sleep. 

He frowns a moment later. No, he shouldn’t be getting more attached. Last night was supposed to help him try to get his infatuation out of his system. Even now, though, he can tell that it’s only made things worse. Why did he ever think this was a good idea?

No time to think about it right now, though. He should be reporting to his post soon. Checking that the charm around his neck is still secure, he slips out of the bed as carefully as he can and finds his pants. He glances back at the bed after he pulls them on and startles to see Lance watching him. “I’m sorry if I woke you.”

Lance shakes his head and silently reaches out, gesturing with his fingers for Keith to come closer. Keith can only smile at the childish display, but obliges. As soon as he’s within reach, Lance pulls him down into a kiss. 

He indulges only for a moment before pulling away, despite Lance’s soft whine of protest. Aren’t kings supposed to be more dignified than this? Unable to help himself, he presses a kiss to Lance’s forehead as he pushes him back down to the bed. “Just because I need to get to work doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get a bit more sleep.”

There’s a slight huff from Lance, but then he smiles, lifting his hand to tuck a loose strand of hair behind Keith’s ear. “Have a good day, rose. I know I will.” 

Keith lets out a small laugh even as he feels his cheeks heat up. “Go back to sleep, Lance.”

He steps away before Lance can pull him back in again and Lance’s pout shouldn’t make his heart skip a beat. 

“I’ll see you later,” he says as he reaches the door, slipping out before he can hear the reply.

*~*~*~*

Lance isn’t sure how, but he and Keith fall into a routine after that. 

Initially there was some awkwardness, as is expected from a night like theirs, but they still need to continue working together. Lance has a country to run and Keith has a palace and a king to protect, and so, without meaning to, they find their new normal. 

Though Lance has to deal with questioning looks (and outright questions when they’re alone) from Hunk, who Lance knows is simply trying to look out for him, he’s afraid he has no answers to give beyond the fact that he and Keith enjoyed a night together. There had been no talks of it meaning anything for either of them beyond that night, after all.

Lance doesn’t ask for anyone to join him for a week, not sure if he should be requesting for Hunk or Keith. But his confusion doesn’t stop his need for companionship, and so he puts out a tentative request for Keith, with a caveat that if he is not interested, then he need not feel any pressure. In no way would Lance be offended. Despite what Hunk may imply later, Lance’s choice in reaching out to Keith has nothing to do with his own infatuation. It simply feels more polite to request for someone that is not already in a relationship, no matter how open said relationship may be.

He wishes he could make _himself_ believe that.

Much to his surprise, though, Keith does show up moments later, again with that determined and bashful look on his face. Lance can’t stop his smile and offers Keith his hand as the door shuts behind him, smiling wider when Keith takes it without hesitation.

The rhythm of once a week doesn’t last long. Before Lance is even aware of it, Keith is sharing his bed nearly three times a week, half the time knocking on Lance’s door, a flush on his cheeks, without Lance sending out a request. 

They learn to read each other so well in their time together, when to pull back and when to push harder, what brings them both the best pleasure depending on their moods. When Keith starts the night extra handsy, Lance knows he’ll need to hold Keith down and really give it to him. Other times, Keith’s hesitant touches tell Lance that he needs to be gentle, that anything too harsh will break him. He has his own cues, too, that Keith has quickly picked up on, knowing when he needs to give up control, even just for a night, and let someone else hold the reins. 

It’s after one such time together, where Keith has collapsed on his chest while they both catch their breath, that Lance finds himself staring out the window, hearing the distant surf. 

“I miss the ocean,” he murmurs, one hand gently tracing up and down Keith’s spine over his shirt.

The smaller man twitches before pushing himself up enough to see Lance’s face. “But...you can see it from your windows every day?”

Lance chuckles at the other's confusion and shakes his head. “It’s not the same, rose, as actually _being_ there. I miss being able to play in the waves, spending time at the beach, enjoying any bit of free time I could get down there, seeing the beauty of it up close.” He gently pushes some of Keith’s hair away from his face, smiling softly at his blush. “I used to go down to the beach whenever I could, usually with Hunk and some other friends. But...I haven’t had a chance since…”

He trails off, but he’s sure that Keith understands his meaning. 

“It’s painful...to see something you want so badly just out of your reach.”

Keith frowns, but doesn’t resist when Lance pulls him back down to hold him close once more, even going so far as to press a kiss to Lance’s cheek as he settles.

Letting out a small huff that he hopes his companion takes as laughter, Lance tries to ignore just how much what he said could apply to something ( _someone_ ) else very dear to him.

*~*~*~*

“This is...well, this is for you.”

Keith stares down at the package that Lance handed him, not sure what to make of it. It’s not the first time Lance has gifted him something (despite his protests), but it’s the first time he’s done so when they’re alone in the privacy of Lance’s bedroom. He feels like this is significant somehow, though he can’t think of how at the moment.

He glances back up at Lance, who’s watching him expectantly. “Should I open this now?”

Lance laughs, “Of course, rose.”

He opens the paper carefully, biting his lip when he hears the other huff. It’s funny, usually Keith is the one being told patience, but it’s always amusing when the tables are turned. Inside the paper is a sleeveless shirt of some kind and he holds it up with some confusion. There’s no patterning or anything on it and it’s fairly close to his skin tone, made of mildly stretchy material. But what is it?

“If you don’t like it, that’s fine,” Lance says quickly, reading the confusion on his face. “But...I thought it would be something you’d find helpful.”

“Helpful?” he repeats, still not sure what it’s actually for.

Lance shakes his head. “Sorry, I thought you’d know what this is. It’s, well, it’s to help flatten your chest. But it does more than normal binding.” He reaches out and shifts the fabric and Keith sees the shimmer of magic for the first time. “It’s got spells woven in to keep your chest as flat as possible but still allow you to breathe safely, no chance of crushing your ribs either. And there are glamours in there to make the fabric match your skin and blend in, so people won’t be able to tell that you’re wearing it. It can’t, well, it can’t recreate your nipples, but I thought that would be a small concession for this.”

Tears form in his eyes and Keith has to give himself a moment to regain his composure before replying. This must have cost a small fortune. “I...I can’t...I can’t accept this,” he forces out, even though he’s unable to let go of the garment. 

“Nonsense,” Lance replies, smiling softly. “It’s a gift for you, rose. Besides, I had it custom made to fit you, so I can’t just return it. Why don’t you try it on, see what you think?”

Keith nods, knowing that arguing with Lance will get him nowhere and he really _does_ want to keep it. He climbs off the bed on shaky legs--from their previous activities and the emotions from the gift--and goes behind the dressing partition in the far corner of the room. He feels ridiculous when he realizes he’s still without anything covering his lower half, but he’s not about to go back to grab his pants. 

Slipping off his shirt, he carefully unwinds the fabric he’d been using to flatten his chest before, wincing when he sees the red lines across his skin. Hopefully those won’t be a thing anymore.

It’s a struggle at first to get the sleeveless shirt on, the fabric giving less than he’d anticipated. He manages, barely, and only the anxiety and embarrassment of Lance seeing his bare chest keeps him from asking for help. Once it’s on, though, he takes a moment to adjust and the gasps as the material shines before blending in perfectly with his skin. If it weren’t for the fact that he can still feel fabric under his fingers, he wouldn’t know that he’s wearing anything at all. 

He steps out from behind the partition to the mirror, needing to see more clearly what he looks like now. His reflection stares back at him and for the first time, he looks _right_. There’s no bile or anger rising up from his stomach when he looks over his body for the first time in _years_. 

Lance steps up behind him, still naked from before, keeping himself visible in the mirror so that Keith knows he’s approaching. He stops behind Keith and reaches out to touch his shoulders, rubbing them gently as he smiles at Keith in the reflection. “You like it, then? It looks like it works correctly, yeah?”

Nodding, Keith takes a half step back to lean against Lance, needing that physical reassurance that this is real, that he can actually look like this whenever he wants to and be happy with what he sees. “Thank you.”

Lance presses a kiss to Keith’s cheek, moving his hands down the other’s arms until he’s loosely holding Keith’s hands. “You’re welcome, desert rose. You look beautiful.”

It’s the first time Keith feels like he can believe it.

*~*~*~*

There’s a different sort of confidence to Keith’s posture that hadn’t been there before, Lance can’t help but notice in the days after his gift to the smaller man. He’s willing to stand with his shoulders back and relaxed instead of hunched forward, no longer trying to make his chest smaller. He’s even willing to wear his stunning red vest open now.

Which is horribly distracting in all the best ways.

So, of course, Lance does all he can to hide just how smitten he is. 

And perhaps it could be considered strange of him, but he loves being able to banter with Keith, loves how the other will get playfully prickly and give as good as he gets when they’re in more secluded settings. Even if he knows Hunk can see right through him at this point. 

“You’re absolutely ridiculous, Lance,” Keith says, shaking his head as if he can’t believe what he’d just heard.

Lance takes a step closer to him, still a respectful amount of distance between them for being around the others. “Oh, and why is that, rose?”

“Because of _everything_ you just said,” Keith replies, gesturing wildly as if to encompass the room and every word that had filled it.

“So why don’t you shut me up, then?” He gives Keith a cheeky grin, maybe more than half hoping that the other will rise to the bait and kiss him. 

Instead, Keith blushes almost as brightly as his vest and moves away, which is the exact _opposite_ of what he’d wanted. “I--I can’t do that! You’re the _king_.”

Oh. So that is still how Keith sees him, after all. He’d been stupid and allowed himself to hope--no matter now. Lance carefully makes his expression blank and turns away, knowing his eyes will give away the pain he feels at that remark to those that know how to look. “I am.”

He hesitates for just a moment, but when Keith says nothing more, he turns quickly and leaves. Hunk was wrong. He wouldn’t find someone. There would be no wedding for his best friend to cry at.

*~*~*~*

Keith stares at the door Lance had just abruptly left through, mouth hanging open slightly, mind still reeling. What...what had just happened? Why does he feel like he’d said something _wrong_?

He glances over at the few others in the room, who are sharing looks among themselves. It’s not helping his mood any and he leaves before any of them can try to talk to him. 

Lance is already long gone when he enters the hallway and he tips back against the wall with a sigh. Running over the conversation in his head, he can’t figure out why what he said hurt the other like that, but it doesn’t change the fact that it _had_ and he needs to figure out how to apologize. Turning his gaze downward, he smiles slightly.

Apologize _and_ thank him for his new shirt. He noticed on the first day he’d worn it that he’d felt better than he had in ages, able to move around more comfortably and do even better at evading the guards he was testing. It’s...liberating, in a sense.

And he’d seen how flustered Lance had looked when he’d taken to walking around with his vest open. It warmed something in him, to know that he could be that desirable to the other. 

The cry of a seabird startles him slightly and he looks out the window across from him, a clear view of the sea, a late-night conversation slowly returning to him. Keith hadn’t given it much thought that night, but now…

Now…

He darts off first to talk to Kolivan. There’s no point in involving any of the others if he can’t get the captain of the guard on board. The large man understandably puts up some resistance at first, it is very short notice after all, but he caves far faster than Keith could have hoped. 

When he asks Kolivan about it, the other raises a single brow. “Would you rather I wasted both of our time with needless arguing or do you actually want to organize this excursion?”

Keith shakes his head quickly, giving his boss a quick bow in thanks, and hurries to find Hunk. 

Even though it is one of the nights they usually spend together, Lance doesn’t send for him and Keith can’t decide if that’s a good or a bad thing as he continues planning. 

*~*~*~*

Lance stirs to consciousness slowly as he feels someone playing with his hair. He mumbles softly and turns towards the contact, hearing a breathy chuckle above him. He blinks a few times. Finally he’s able to focus on Keith sitting next to him with a soft smile on his face. 

“Hello, rose,” he murmurs, half wondering if this is a dream. If so, he’s more than happy to stay in it for the foreseeable future. If not, well, he’s not sure why Keith would be in his room so early. The sun is barely starting to crest. 

He closes his eyes once more, heavy with sleep, and fully intends to drift off again when Keith shakes his shoulder slightly. “Come on, Lance. You need to get up. Everyone else is waiting and ready.”

That...makes no sense. Who’s ready? What are they ready for? He never allows anything to be planned this early for a reason. He grumbles and turns more, curling around Keith’s hip as if that will save him from this potential nightmare. _No one_ should be ready for anything so early.

“I know, but trust me, this is worth it,” Keith replies, a hint of laughter in his voice. 

Lance trails one hand teasingly up and down Keith’s thigh. Maybe he can distract Keith enough with a little fun and then he can get more sleep?

His hand is grabbed before it can make a second pass. Damn.

“None of that. Now, come on. We need to get going.”

He lets Keith pull him up and out of bed, though he doesn’t make it easy for him, grumbling the whole time. He barely pays any attention as Keith pulls out clothes and hands them to him, but he does change as directed, unable to stop his smirk when he strips his night clothes and Keith blushes. The clothes he’s given, though, are casual, nothing like he’d wear for a formal outing. He considers them after he’s dressed, trying to puzzle out what this all means.

“Rose, what--?”

Keith grabs his hand and tugs him from the room, a wide smile on his face. “You’ll see. Now, come on.”

He’s even more confused when he’s led outside and they climb into a carriage, Matt and Shiro already inside. Had he forgotten about some kind of morning meeting? He tries to peek out through the curtains and frowns when Matt shakes his head and pushes him to sit back. 

“What--?”

“Here,” Shiro hands over a warm drink. “Hunk said you might need this.”

Lance takes it and sniffs it, holding it steady with years of practice not to spill it as the carriage slowly makes its way to...wherever they’re going. “Coffee?”

Shiro nods, “with chocolate.”

He takes a sip and hums happily at the sweet flavor. Well, at least he’ll be awake for whatever they’re planning.

It’s not much longer before the carriages pull to a stop and he’s even more confused at just how excited everyone looks around him. Before he can ask again what’s going on, Keith opens the door and steps out, turning to offer his hand to Lance.

“Surprise?”

It’s the sound that hits Lance first, the familiar crash of waves so much clearer up close. He all but bolts from the carriage, taking only a half dozen steps as his feet sink into the sand. He’s...he’s on the _beach_ again. The water is _right there_. He looks back at Keith for an explanation, needing to know what’s going on finally.

Keith flushes and rubs his thumb over his fingers. “Well, we...I...thought you’d appreciate a day here on the beach, since you said you missed it. We rescheduled everything you had today. We can be here as long as you want.”

Hardly believing his ears, Lance glances over at Kolivan, who gives him a hint of a smile and a nod. Lance grins back, turning and running straight into the surf, not stopping until the water is up to his waist. He throws up his hands and shouts, laughing as a wave tries to push him over.

The next wave comes with more force and manages to push him over, but his mood can’t be dampened, especially when Keith joins him to pull him back to his feet. He turns and grabs Keith around the middle, spinning them around with waves tickling their feet until they fall over again with a shout.

“ _Lance_ ,” Keith whines, though he’s smiling too widely for Lance to believe he’s actually mad. 

They help each other back up and Lance glances back to see the rest of his little harem making their way down the beach with supplies. “Hunk!” he shouts, running over to his best friend and wrapping around him, careful not to jostle the boards he’s carrying. “This is awesome!”

Hunk laughs and continues walking with Lance draped over him, more than able to handle it. “Yeah, well, you should really thank your cat over there. He’s the one that came up with the idea and made sure everything was rescheduled.”

Sliding off Hunk, Lance stands there a moment, surprised. Keith had…? He shakes his head and takes a few quick steps to catch up with the others, stripping his shirt and throwing to the side. He grabs his board from Hunk and rushes back to Keith. The others can set up the blankets and whatnot without him. He wants back out in the water _now_.

“Have you ever ridden a wave?” he asks, only stopping when he feels the water swirling around his ankles. 

Keith looks between Lance, his board, and the water, expression dubious. “No, I haven’t.”

Oh, well, that’s fine. “Want to try it? I think you’ll enjoy it.”

Seeming to think over it for a minute, Keith takes a deep breath and nods, stripping his vest and tossing it back out of reach of the water as well. Lance grins and pulls Keith out with him, getting him on the board first before climbing on behind him, directing him how to paddle with his arms to pull them further out. 

They don’t get to the point where Keith is comfortable standing on the board, but Lance definitely heard that whoop of excitement as they rushed down a wave together, finally making it back to shore for food when the sun is almost at its peak in the sky. 

The others have dug out a pit in the sand and surrounded it with stones, setting up a fire in the center and Hunk is cooking something delicious over the flames. They all laugh and joke together as they eat, the mood lighter among the group than it has been in ages. At one point, Keith says something to Shiro that Lance doesn’t quite catch and suddenly they’re all shouting as Shiro picks up his brother and throws him into the waves with his one arm. 

Matt follows suit, grabbing Pidge, who barely has a chance to screech out, “Don’t you _dare_!” before he dumps her in the water. Lance grins over at Hunk and they grab Romelle and Allura, bringing the ladies down to the water with shrieks of laughter. 

When the sun begins to set, the others move towards the fire to warm up and dry off, Pidge complaining all the while about sand sticking all over. 

Lance stays at the water’s edge, waves tickling his toes every few moments as he watches the light slowly fade. 

“Hey,” Keith says as he steps up next to Lance. “The others are all packing up. We probably should be getting back.”

Turning to look at his companion, Lance watches the way the sunset makes Keith glow, his dark hair taking on a deep red tint.

He’s never seen anything more beautiful.

“Lance?”

He smiles softly, reaching out to take Keith’s hand and leaning in to give him a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, rose. Today was...everything I wanted and then some.” If this is all he can have with Keith, then he’ll take it. He lets go and makes his way to the others, climbing into the carriage once everything has been packed away. 

Keith doesn’t join him for several moments after.

*~*~*~*

He can’t do this anymore. 

He _can’t do_ this anymore.

It wasn’t supposed to end up like this. It was supposed to be for mutual enjoyment and for gradually working his infatuation for Lance out of his system, but it’s done the exact opposite. After that last moment on the beach together, Keith knows he can’t live with this partial relationship. And it doesn’t help that ever since then, Lance has been even softer with him in their time alone together.

He can’t live with knowing how wonderful a lover Lance can be but also know that there’s...no love.

It feels like so much more than just sex every time and his heart can’t take it.

He has to tell him.

Even if it ends what they have, even if it breaks his heart, he has to try. He can’t idly wait around for Lance to find someone else and be left behind. 

Always left behind.

And he’ll likely be turned down--because he’s only a commoner, and one with no family at that--but better that and the chance to heal than dying a little every time Lance brushes his hair back and kisses his forehead, knowing that this is only causal between them.

He resolves to tell him that night.

But as soon as he’s in Lance’s room, all thoughts fall aside, the other’s touch turning his mind to mush as if trained. Lance’s touch always does mean pleasure for him.

No, he needs to…

He pushes Lance down onto the bed and climbs on top of him, hoping that the change gives him some sense of control, of courage. Lance smiles up at him, more than okay with the way things are going and Keith’s heart skips a bit at the show of trust. Their clothes come off with a bit of fumbling (he really should have started that before pushing Lance onto the mattress) minus his binder, bringing laughter from both of them as they tangle together more in limbs and fabric. It’s exactly what Keith needs to help settle some of his nerves before he’s holding himself up and slowly sinking onto Lance’s cock. He moans at the familiar stretch, giving himself a moment to adjust.

No matter how many times they’ve done this, Lance always fills him up so well.

He twitches when he feels Lance’s hands slide up his legs to his sides, opening his eyes to take in the sight beneath him, Lance’s face flushed and blue eyes bright enough to sparkle in the dim light. As soon as his gaze meets Lance’s, the other smiles. “I wish I could show you how you look right now, rose. You look so beautiful. Ethereal, even. Such a vision and there aren’t enough words in the universe to tell you how much you make me feel.”

It’s too much.

Lance can’t...he can’t _say_ things like that if he doesn’t mean it, can he? 

“Rose?” Lance asks, voice concerned, and Keith realizes that he’s crying. Lance sits up suddenly and Keith chokes on his tears with a moan at the movement. “Rose, Keith, did I hurt you? Do you need me to pull out?”

Keith shakes his head. As if Lance could ever hurt him, not physically. “No, no, please don’t.”

“Please tell me what’s wrong, rose.”

What _is_ wrong? Everything and nothing. “I...I love you so much. And I know this'll have to be the last time between us…” He lifts his hands to cover his face, shame pooling in his gut. Their last time together and he’s ruining it with his tears. He should be _enjoying_ what little time they have left.

“Oh, rose…”

Unable to face whatever expression that Lance is wearing, Keith sobs and tips forward just enough to hide his face completely in the other’s neck, his fingers moving down to dig into his own biceps in a poor attempt to regain control over himself.

“Rose, please, look at me,” Lance murmurs, one hand petting gently through Keith’s hair.

Keith shakes his head. No. Please, just let him have this for a moment longer. 

Lance sighs, though it doesn’t sound angry or upset, just amused. “Please, rose. I’d much prefer to see your beautiful face when I tell you I love you.”

He’s fairly certain his heart stops. His breathing certainly does for a moment before he takes in a gasping breath, leaning back and staring at Lance with wide eyes. “What?”

“There you are,” Lance says, using both hands to cup Keith’s face, thumbs gently trying to dry his face. He smiles softly. “I love you, too, Keith. I have for months now.”

“But...for months…?”

Lance glances to the side for a moment, flushing, and that’s almost more startling than the confession to Keith. “I’d hoped...I’d hoped you felt the same way, but I couldn’t be sure… And I didn’t want to say anything in case it felt like I was putting pressure on you because...because of who _I_ am.”

“Well, that’s the dumbest thing you’ve ever said,” Keith replies, laughing in spite of the tears still flowing freely down his face. “Because I’ve been infatuated with you since before we started this.”

Chuckling, Lance lets out a few tears of his own and Keith quickly reaches up to wipe them away. “I suppose we’re both fools, then.”

“Perhaps,” Keith agrees, heart feeling lighter than it has in ages. He leans forward to kiss Lance, putting all the affection he’s hidden away for _months_ into it, gasping when he shifts and is reminded that they’re still intimately connected. Lance’s hands immediately go to his hips to hold him still.

“We don’t have to continue if you don’t wish to.”

Keith feels a smile grow across his face. Why wouldn’t he want to continue after learning his love is returned? He pushes on Lance’s shoulders until the other is lying flat again. “I think maybe it’s time that I show you how much I love you instead.” 

Lance’s hands slide down to his thighs as that familiar grin appears. “I can’t wait.”

**Author's Note:**

> Not gonna lie, one of my favorite parts of writing this was going down the rabbit hole of medieval euphemisms for sex. "Dive in the dark," felt very fitting as something an awkward Keith would feel comfortable enough to say. 
> 
> Thank you sugarsaurus so much for creating artwork for this piece! You can find the art here if you wish to reblog it/give the artist some love: <https://sugarsaurus.tumblr.com/post/629008921953173504/i-know-what-a-king-and-a-lover-ought-to-be>


End file.
